Morgan Chiropractic

Chiropractors often tell people to be careful about overdoing high-impact sports, and that’s good advice. But the athletes who rank among the most frequent sufferers of lower back pain are cyclists. We want patients at Morgan Chiropractic in Anchorage to understand the importance of varying their routines, which is why we’re devoting this week’s blog post to common cycling mistakes. A bike shop should be able to adjust a bike to fit a new owner. While lower back pain is common even among professional cyclists who can afford the best equipment, a bicycle that forces the rider to extend their back too much isn’t doing them any favors. Getting a hand-me-down bike and not getting it adjusted is false economy, since frequent riders will pay for it in physical therapy later. Regardless of their equipment, cyclists need to maintain their core strength. When the muscles supporting the lumbar vertebrae are weak, they give out faster, particularly when pushing uphill. This allows the spine to sw...

The beginning of the school year is a great time for kids to start healthy habits. We value preventive care at Morgan Chiropractic in Anchorage, and we see too many young people struggling with back pain. One of the most important ways they can prevent injuries and wear-and-tear is by using backpacks safely. A backpack should be selected on the basis for school usage. Features such as wheels and pull-out handles are likely to only be dead weight. We don’t recommend a backpack be filled to the point of weighing more than 15% of its wearer’s weight, so smaller is usually better. Students should plan when to swap items out and not carry anything they don’t expect to use. If a child strains while lifting a backpack, it is too heavy. The advantage of using a backpack is that the shoulder straps can evenly distribute weight across the body, but only if both are worn. Shoulder straps should be wide and padded. The best backpacks also come with a strap across the chest. The backpack should be ...

Stretching is important to keep the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy. Without stretching on a daily basis, you may experience limitation in flexibility and range-of-motion. If a muscle isn’t “warmed up” even a little bit before performing your daily activities or a sport, you’ll pose a bigger risk of injury. Dr. Loren Morgan of Morgan Chiropractic encourages patients to stretch each muscle group for at least 10 minutes a day. Regular stretching is one of the most relaxing and beneficial things that people can do to rehabilitate their bodies on a daily basis. You don’t need a partner or a trainer, all you need is yourself. When muscles and limbs become looser due to stretching, you can move more actively without injury. In addition to improving flexibility, stretching on a daily basis improves posture, decreases stress, and improves circulation. If you have questions or concerns regarding therapeutic exercise or chiropractic care, please give us a call. To learn about services we p...

Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is a therapy that is utilized at Morgan Chiropractic to handle injuries related to muscle tissue. EMS therapy may help reduce stiffness, swelling, and pain, increase endorphin production, and promote pain-free movement. If you are suffering from any discomfort due to injury, Dr. Loren Morgan will utilize this treatment to make you feel good as new. To initiate EMS therapy, Dr. Loren Morgan will place sticky pads over the affected part of the boy. The EMS device will be turned on and convert kinetic energy into an electric charge. The charge is delivered through the pad into the muscles, which will rapidly contract, loosening them up. Patients often describe this sensation as a "tingle." The muscles will be flushed with fresh blood, increasing their oxygen supply and providing them with nutrients. This will enable them to repair themselves faster and with less pain. If you have questions or concerns regarding electric muscle stimulation, pleas...

When someone is involved in a car accident that isn’t a major collision, it may seem more like a nuisance than trauma.  People typically worry more about being late for work or an insurance claim, and don’t always stop to assess what damage may have been done to their bodies. At Morgan Chiropractic, w e know some drivers and passengers feel the effects of whiplash injuries immediately following an accident, while others may walk away not feeling injured and experience pain later. This is why you should always visit a chiropractor for evaluation. Whiplash occurs when a person’s head moves backward and then forward very suddenly with great force, causing the tendons and ligaments in your neck to tear. The most common site of pain and stiffness for passengers involved in an accident are the neck and back.  A chiropractor can evaluate these injuries, as well as treat damage to both hard and soft tissue. Depending on a patient’s evaluation the chiropractor may perform an adjustment or assig...

Morgan Chiropractic helps patients rehabilitate from all kinds of injuries.  The method of icing an injury, called cryotherapy, is well known to provide cooling relief and help numb painful soft tissue injuries. Applying ice safely by using an ice pack or cold compress is an excellent way to treat muscle spasms and injuries like sprains and strains.  If icing an injury does not provide relief or your pain worsens, contact us for help. After an injury, affected soft tissue will be inflamed and icing the area reduces inflammation and pain, as well as cools the skin to constrict blood vessels and heal the area.  The healing effects of ice pack therapy can also be helpful after a flare-up in chronic pain like in the back or knee, and is a cheap option or at-home relief. Cryotherapy is an effective way to manage pain at home without medication, and we also provide custom cryotherapy in the office. To learn more about cryotherapy and all the services provided by Dr. Loren Morgan, in Anchor...

Whiplash is a term that describes an injury to the neck that occurs as a result of a motor vehicle or car accident. The most common type of car accident is the rear impact, and most typically, the occupant in the vehicle that gets “rear-ended” is at the greatest risk of injury, including whiplash. To treat whiplash at Morgan Chiropractic, Dr. Loren Morgan may suggest spinal manipulation therapy that involves gently moving the involved joint into the direction in which it’s restricted. Chiropractic care can help you cope with whiplash because it can help return proper mechanics to the cervical spine (your neck). During a consultation, Dr.  Loren Morgan will evaluate your spine as a whole – even if you go to the office complaining of neck pain following a trauma. He will examine the entire spine because other regions of the spine may be affected (not just your neck). After the examination, Dr. Loren Morgan will be better able to diagnose your condition accurately, helping to create a tre...